A
fascination with Mary Todd Lincoln began for me at the very early age of 9 or
10 when I first read her biography.When my reenacting career began in 1991, little did I imagine that
someday I would portray the First Lady.It all began in 1993 at a Christmas presentation at the Lemoyne House in
Washington, Pennsylvania.One of the
military members of Co. A, 9th PA Reserves saw me in my ball
gown and remarked, “My God, there is Mrs. Lincoln!”He later brought out a photograph of the much maligned and
misunderstood First Lady.Thus, this
prompted my research.Later, not only
I discovered a physical resemblance, but also, other similarities as well as a
tendency toward migraine headaches particularly when under stress and the love
of shopping!

The
more that I research her life, and the era in which she lived, I realized that
she was misunderstood, misinterpreted and, in many ways, a woman
ahead-of-her-time.No one who endures
the loss of a mother at a young age, the remarrying of a much beloved father to
a less than ideal stepmother, the loss of 3 of her 4 children, and the brutal
assassination of her much beloved husband can truly live a normal life.

Other
tidbits include Mary Todd Lincoln was well educated until she was 18 (very
unusual for a young lady in the 19th century), schooled in politics
by sitting at her politically active father’s table, bright, vivacious and
flirtatious.You might say that she was
also ambitious.At the early age of
about 13 while visiting Kentucky Senator Henry Clay (her neighbor and close
friend) who was running for President, she asked him if he would invite her to
the Executive Mansion (The White House) so that she could dance a cotillion
there.She promptly stated that she
would someday lead a cotillion at the White House.Her dream came true in 1860 with the election of her
husband--President Abraham Lincoln.Unfortunately, that dream would later
become a nightmare as she became “Mrs. President” during the Nation’s bloodiest
struggle: The Civil War.

During
President Abraham Lincoln’s tenure, Mary Todd Lincoln was known by many
surnames including:

vMrs.
President

vMadame President

vThe Hellcat

vHer Satanic Majesty

vThe
Republican Queen

vThe
Lady President

Madame
President, as I lovingly refer to her, was indeed a woman of many firsts and
fascinating facts including:

vThe
first Presidential wife to be called “First Lady”.A British reporter from the London Times who observed her at an
Official White House Reception in 1861 dubbed her this honorably title.He noted her to be very kind and gracious
to all her guests andmake all feel
welcome whether they were notable or not.These qualities deemed her to be a “lady” according to the standards of
the day.

vMary
Todd Lincoln was the first and perhaps the only President’s wife to be courted
by three of the four Presidential Candidates in any given election year.In addition, she was first courted by
Stephen Douglas (her husbands chief political rival), her 3rd cousin (by her stepmother) John Cabell Breckinridge, and, of
course, her husband--Abraham Lincoln.

vShe came under fire during a
visit with Mr. Lincoln to Fort Stevens in 1864.Mrs. Lincoln often visited the troops in camps and the hospitals
around Washington City.She loved her
Boys in Blue!

vShe visited the military
hospitals on a weekly basis, and often wrote letters for the sick and wounded
soldiers.On one occasion Mrs. Lincoln
held the hand of a young man undergoing an amputation when other employed
nurses had become faint.This
characteristic is most unusual for a “lady” of such a high-strung personality.She even catered special dinners and
provided special treats from her own supplies and at her own cost.

vMrs. Lincoln became the first
presidential widow as a result of an assassination.She was seated by her husband’s side in Fords Theater when the
fatal shot was fired.

vShe became the first Republican
First Lady to be in the oval office.

vLastly,
she also declared that no other woman should be on the arm of the President
while leading the Grand March promenade during official White House
functions.Moreover, this tradition has continued onward today; prior to
this, the President would choose any lady to lead the promenade; where as The
First Lady would choose any gentleman to be her escort.

As you
can see Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln was a fascinating lady, and I have really only
touched the surface.There is so much
to learn about her interesting life.

Look at
my photo below and see if you don’t agree there is a resemblance.The photo was taken at The Pittsburgh
Soldiers Fair 2002, West Park, Pittsburgh, PA.The Soldiers Fair was the site of the Original Sanitary Fair,
1864.